Frequently Asked Questions for Au Pairs

Some au pairs only want the experience for a few months over a summer, or in between college and a new career. Others enjoy working as an au pair for several years. The length of term of a placement with an individual family is agreed up front, although can be extended. It could be three months, six months, a year or longer. Rainbow can also place you with new families once your existing placement term ends.

The standard terms and conditions of an au pair are five hours work a day. You will be expected to babysit for two evenings a week. But you will have free time to study, or pursue other interests. Families must provide you with your own room, which is your responsibility to keep tidy. Meals are provided, and the typical pocket money rates typically vary from £75 for a 25 hour week.

Of course. Rainbow is here to ensure you have a pleasant stay, whether you work with one family or if we place you with several families over a longer period. We ensure families are fully aware of their responsibilities to you, but we provide advice, information and peace of mind. We can also put you in touch with other au pairs.

No its not mandatory to study to become an au pair, although many use some of their spare time to attend English courses. Apart from improving English, attending a local college provides additional opportunities for meeting new friends or other au pairs in the area

If you have a problem with your family or your duties, it is best to talk to them to try and resolve the problem. Of course, Rainbow is here to help with advice, and if necessary will help to resolve your problems. We also provide practical advice and set clear guidelines for both families and au pairs to minimise the chances of intractable problems.

Most of our placements are in the Southern counties of England (Kent, Surrey and Sussex), and London. We provide a clear summary of the family and their requirements before placing you. All families are checked and we obtain references for newly registered families.

You should travel to the UK with an EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card) which lets you get state healthcare free of charge or at a reduced cost. You may also wish to take out additional travel insurance to cover loss of belongings, repatriation in case of accident, death etcetera.

BAPAA recommends 4 weeks per year (or 1.66 days per month pro-rata if the placement is shorter than a year), plus 8 Bank / Public Holidays. The matter of paid holidays should be discussed and agreed between you and the Host Family. The family must specify the Au Pair’s entitlement to paid holidays and must state when they can be taken or if there are any times which are inconvenient to them.